The rear blind spot is a huge problem for commercial vehicles and machines – in fact reversing vehicles now account for a quarter of all workplace deaths. With 90% of reversing accidents occurring off-road (loading bays, lorry parks, quarry sites and warehouses) there has never been a greater necessity to carry out effective risk-assessments of vehicle reversing processes.
A back up alarm can be installed in any commercial vehicle to warn people in the vehicle’s path that it is moving backwards. Introduced in the 1970s, beeping alarms provided a vital step forward in safety, yet over time they have been shown to have several inherent issues; from their environmental impact to concerns about safety and ability to prevent accidents. There is now a much better alternative to the back up beeper with the development of white noise alarms.
Developed by Brigade, the bbs-tek® multi-frequency back up alarm uses a wide range of White Sound® frequencies. This enables the listener to instantly locate where and what direction the sound is coming from. The broadband noise also gives workers wearing hearing protection devices (HPDs) and people with hearing difficulties a better chance of detecting the alarm.
The bbs-tek® White Sound® back up alarm creates a “ssh-ssh” sound which is gentle on the ear and dissipates quickly, meaning the alarm can only be heard in the danger zone reducing the environmental impact of work sites.
Over the decades reversing beeper alarms became standard on almost every commercial vehicle. However, concerns began to be raised about their effectiveness in an urban environment or on a work site, where several alarms could sometimes sound at once, making it difficult to establish where the danger was coming from. Additionally, the piercing beeps caused by high-pitched tonal alarms generated countless complaints about noise pollution.
The answer has come in the form of Brigade’s bbs-tek® White Sound® Reversing and Warning Alarms – a revolutionary new generation of alarms that have rapidly superseded the ‘beep beep’ products of the past.
Our bbs alarms are covered by the following patents: AU2007200517, EP1289798B2, CN100488807C, JP4798474B2, NZ522190, GB2345392C, USRE44912
Our range of white noise back up alarms including bbs-tek® White Sound®, are endorsed by PIEK and the Noise Abatement Society and have been awarded the Quiet Mark for their environmental benefits.
For plant, quarry and construction machines or environments with high ambient noise. Our heavy duty back up alarm operates in the harshest environments keeping ground workers safe. The multi-frequency sounds can be heard through hearing protection; a huge advantage over tonal alarms where a single strident tone is blocked out.
Our patented white noise back up alarm is not only the safest alarm in the world due to its instant locatability and directional sound but, with the inclusion of our self-adjusting models, it’s also the smartest. The bbs-tek smart back up alarm continually adjusts to 5-10 decibels above the background noise level, making it ideal for environments with varying levels of noise.
Mounted to the side of the vehicle, the bbs-tek® turn signal alarm synchronizes an audible warning with the vehicle signal lights when the nearside signal is activated, informing the cyclist or pedestrian of the vehicle’s intended turn, and allowing them to take appropriate action.
Backchat Speaking Warning Alarms reproduce real speech with unrivaled quality and clarity. Backchat voice alarms include a standard message for backing up, handbrake warnings, or as an attack alarm. Single or dual bespoke messages are available, as well as the option to include a built-in cut out for night-time use available on our Nightshift speaking alarms.
Known as an acoustic vehicle alert system across the automotive market, the Quiet Vehicle Sounder from Brigade warns vulnerable road users of an approaching electric or hybrid vehicle.
Brigade has developed a multi-frequency Quiet Vehicle Sounder, integrating the patented bbs-tek® technology to use a wide range of White Sound® frequencies. This enables anyone in the direct path of the vehicle to instantly locate where and what direction the sound is coming from and take evasive action to avoid a collision.